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3-Car Garage Conversion Plan — exterior rendering of a CALI ADU Signature plan in Los Angeles
Signature Garage Conversion · True conversion

3-Car Garage Conversion Plan

The most home you can get from a garage.

A sample of our most popular 3-car conversion layouts — every plan is customized to how you'll use the space.

2 bed · 1 bath · ~600–660 sqft

The footprint most homeowners never use to its potential: two bedrooms, a full bath, and open living — without pouring a foundation or losing a foot of yard.

Plans + permitting $7,490 fixed
Est. cost to build from $175,000
See it in your backyard Get the study set (PDF) ↓

15-minute Backyard Review · No site visit · No obligation

Why this plan

The case for the 3-Car Garage Conversion Plan.

A three-car garage is a rare asset in Los Angeles — and this plan makes the most of it. At roughly 600–660 square feet, the footprint converts into a genuine two-bedroom home: two real bedrooms, a full bathroom, and an open living-and-kitchen space, all without pouring a foundation or giving up an inch of yard. Because the structure already exists, it delivers the most living space in the line at the lowest cost per square foot of any conversion.

  • Two real bedrooms Plus a full bath, inside the existing footprint.
  • ~600–660 sqft The most living space in the garage line.
  • Lowest cost per sqft The structure is built — you pay for the interior.
  • No replacement parking AB 68 / SB 1211 ended that requirement.
  • ~60-day ministerial review Keeps its existing setbacks.
Customized to you

Your plan, tailored to how you’ll use it.

Every plan here is a starting point. We reshape the layout — rooms, windows, doors, and the privacy between your ADU and the main house — around how you’ll actually live. All of it included in your fixed plan fee.

3-Car Garage Conversion Plan — The Rental Layout
Long-term rental

The Rental Layout

A private entrance oriented away from the main house, both bedrooms and their windows placed for privacy, sound separation on the shared side, and a full standalone kitchen.

3-Car Garage Conversion Plan — The Multigen Layout
Multigenerational

The Multigen Layout

A private entrance with a connecting path, one bedroom configurable as a sitting room or den, and shared outdoor space — independence for a parent or adult child without isolation.

3-Car Garage Conversion Plan — The Flex Layout
Guests · office · gym

The Flex Layout

Open sightlines and a wide slider to the main-house patio, with the second bedroom framed as a dedicated office or gym that can convert back to a bedroom any time.

Where do you land? Explore the privacy spectrum →

Floor plan

3-Car Garage Conversion Plan — floor plan

3-Car Garage Conversion Plan floor plan
Rendered floor plan. The full study set adds dimensions, elevations, and finish specs — request it below.

Get the full study set

Take the 3-Car Garage Conversion Plan home to think it over.

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Renderings

Inside the 3-Car Garage Conversion Plan

3-Car Garage Conversion Plan — interior living, Los Angeles ADU rendering3-Car Garage Conversion Plan — interior bedroom, Los Angeles ADU rendering3-Car Garage Conversion Plan — interior kitchen, Los Angeles ADU rendering3-Car Garage Conversion Plan — interior bath, Los Angeles ADU rendering
What your plan fee includes

$7,490, fixed — expert in-house design and full permit processing.

  • Floor plans and elevations designed in-house by expert ADU designers
  • Structural engineering and Title 24 energy compliance coordination
  • Your interior and exterior finish selections, specified in the plans
  • Done-for-you permit processing and expediting with your city
  • Unlimited plan-check corrections until your permit is issued
  • A builder-ready set any licensed contractor can price and build
Why the build price is a “from”

Every garage is different.

The plan and the plan fee are fixed. The build starts at $175,000 — the final number depends on what your specific garage is hiding. An on-site assessment gives you a real number, not a guess.

Ceiling height
Code requires 7′0" finished, and you lose 4–6" to floor and ceiling assemblies. Below about 7′6" raw, the roof has to be raised.
Slab & footings
Older garages often have shallow, unreinforced footings that need underpinning, plus leveling and vapor-barrier work on thin slabs.
MEP
Most garages have no plumbing and limited panel capacity; new electrical and plumbing runs can approach new-build cost.
Insulation & Title 24
Garages carry little to no insulation or ventilation, so a full envelope upgrade is required to pass energy code.
Fire separation
Attached garages need one-hour rated assemblies between the ADU and the main house.

Want a real number instead of a guess?

Get a real number for my garage

15-minute Backyard Review · No site visit · No obligation

Questions

3-Car Garage Conversion Plan — frequently asked

How big is a 3-car garage conversion ADU?
A typical three-car garage is about 600–660 sqft — enough for two genuine bedrooms, a full bathroom, and an open living-and-kitchen area. It is the most living space of any plan in the garage line.
How much does a 3-car garage conversion cost?
The permit-ready plan set is a fixed $7,490 — the same fee as the smaller conversions, because the fee covers design and permitting, not square footage. The build starts at $175,000 with an independent licensed general contractor and is confirmed for your garage after an assessment.
Could the layout be two bedrooms and two bathrooms instead?
Usually the better trade is one full bath plus a larger living area — a second bathroom consumes 35–40 sqft and adds plumbing scope. But layout customization is included in your fixed plan fee, so if a second bath fits how you will use the space, we design for it within the Signature footprint.
Do I need replacement parking if I convert my garage?
No. AB 68 / SB 1211 (effective January 2025) eliminated replacement-parking requirements for garage-to-ADU conversions statewide. You keep your driveway and yard.
What happens to my setbacks?
A legally established existing garage keeps its current location and setbacks, even if it sits under four feet from the property line. That is one of the reasons a conversion is the easiest ADU to permit.
Why is the build price a "from" number instead of a fixed price?
The plan and the plan fee are fixed. The build starts at our published number, but the final price depends on what your specific garage is hiding — its ceiling height, its slab, its wiring. An on-site assessment gives you a real number instead of a guess that balloons later.

Signature Garage Conversions are designed in-house by our expert ADU design team and carry the same curated finishes as our detached Signature Homes. Your plan fee is fixed. Because every garage is different — ceiling height, slab condition, existing wiring — the cost to build is an estimate that starts at the figure shown and is confirmed for your specific garage; it is not a single guaranteed price. Construction is performed by an independent licensed general contractor.

Ready when you are

See what your garage can become.

Book a 15-minute Backyard Review — we'll look at your garage and your lot, and tell you which plan fits.

Visualize My ADU Or call (213) 423-0470

Designed in-house · Transparent pricing · Your choice of builder